


You Animal

by Ivyfics (ivannab)



Series: Being Gross Verse [2]
Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: A Little Bit Of Crack, Alternate Universe - College/University, Established Relationship, Firsts, Fluff, Kei is still a sleepy babe, Kuroo still loves it, Late Night Calls, M/M, Pierced Kuroo Tetsurou, kurotsuki - Freeform, not a lot of university in this tbh, sequel to the mug fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-15
Updated: 2017-03-20
Packaged: 2018-10-05 14:32:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 10,148
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10310366
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ivannab/pseuds/Ivyfics
Summary: He really didn't mind telling everyone he had a boyfriend, and it would actually help deter unwanted advances, but he hadn't talked to Tsukki about telling others besides their close friends yet. Not that he thought Tsukki would mind, seeing as he made his I'm-trying-not-to-smile face every time Kuroo referred to him as his boyfriend out loud. Also, the blond was probably sleeping and Kuroo wasn't really ready to share the cuteness of a sleepy Tuskki with his friends. He tried with a "Guys, don't", but he knew he had lost.The phone was already ringing, the noise filling the room while everyone hushed and leaned in to listen. Four rings went by before the sound stopped."Tetsu?"// or continuation of Late at Night, but you don't really need to read that to get this





	1. You Animal

**Author's Note:**

> Hello! I'm back with this pair of dorks because I couldn't stay away. 
> 
> As usual you can come yell at me on twitter at [ivyfics](https://twitter.com/ivyfics) and please let me know what you think.

He hadn’t lied when he said he was popular. As much as he’d like to spend every day off lazing around his favorite blond, friendships outside of your significant other are important. That’s how Kuroo found himself spending his Friday night with his college friends instead of cuddling his boyfriend- who happened to also have the night off. That, and everyone in his close group of friends being busy. 

_I am a mature adult. I can spend a night with friends instead of my boyfriend. I totally can._

He had ended with an odd group of college friends, a lot of them belonging to different majors and clubs. They had all met each other through an elective Psych 101 class back in his second year. While he loved lazing around–preferably with a blond around– the first couple of years of his academic life he had developed a certain reputation when it came to parties. All of those usually included Bokuto in some shape or form, but still. So when he was invited to a small reunion over a couple of drinks tonight, he had assumed he would probably end up trashed, wrecking or getting kicked out of somewhere, and waking up with a jackhammer pounding his head from the inside.

Instead they were in a private room of a tiny place that served decent beer cheap enough for college students to indulge to their heart’s content. The room was big enough for their party to sit comfortably on the floor around low tables, a few of his friends already stretched out and looking kind of woozy. Dim lights hung on the walls making sure to keep the mood going while the steady beat of some mix played in the background, soft enough that everyone could be heard clearly without raising their voice too much. The eight of them were very well into round 3 of beers after a quick couple of rounds of tequila shots, Kuroo had a slight buzz coursing through his veins, and he could admit that against expectations he was having a good time. Still, he couldn't help but steal glances at his phone where it lay on the table next to his beer, just in case Tuskki said anything. Maybe he could sneak out for a bit and give him a goodnight call, knowing that he'd be using his free night to catch up on some reading and probably fall asleep with his laptop on the bed.

Miyuki, a law major, sat cross legged next to him saying something about...squirrels?

On his other side, Kazu and Sato kept pestering him about becoming ‘recluse’.

“I bet somebody’s keeping you busy," Kazu said.  “Did someone finally catch the elusive Kuroo?”

Immediately Sato followed up with "I think you're right, he keeps staring at his phone. Expecting a call, Kuroo-san?"

Along with his hard partier reputation came along his 'no relationships' one. He didn't know how it had a become a rumour, but somehow people believed he had a 'hook-ups only' policy. It wasn't a policy, he just hadn't found anyone he really liked enough to give dating a try.

It had all started in his third year of high school, really. After the blessed salt god came into his life back when he was eighteen and he found himself sporting the biggest crush he'd ever had on anyone, he had the epiphany that he wasn't as straight as he originally thought. Up until then Kuroo didn't realise that all his staring at hot volleyball boys in shorts wasn't at all eyeing the competition more than it was _hot volleyball boys in shorts._

Then Tsukki came along, and of course he stared at his long legs and his golden eyes hidden behind thick rims and the small hairs that curled at the nape of his neck when he was all glistening with sweat– okay, so the blond was gorgeous, but then he found himself not staring but listening, wanting to talk to him about anything just to hear him talk and the thought of not keeping in touch after training camp was over made his chest tighten in odd ways. He had a little ' _Oh_ ' moment that shook him to his core when he saw the Karasuno bus leaving knowing he hadn't gotten Tsukki's number after all.

He remembers being oddly calm as he walked back to where Kenma was playing his game, sitting down next to him quietly. 

> _"I think I like boys, too. And I think I have a crush on Tsukki."_
> 
> _Kenma chuckled at that without looking up._
> 
> _"You think? Good for you, you finally figured it out."_

After his 'aja' moment he started to explore that new side of him. A lot. So he enjoyed pretty people and sex, sue him. And so, his reputation began. He had begun to think he just couldn't feel that way about anyone until he ran back into the blond one night Bokuto had convinced him that he really really needed some Gari Gari Kun. He'd probably bought Bokuto lunch for two weeks straight after that. _I was just waiting for Tsukki._

 A small grin appeared on his face when he thought about it, giving his friends enough fodder to keep up the heckling that had begun. The jeers managed to bring him back to the moment. It seemed everyone was in on it now, scooting closer to the group. From across the table a female voice cooed, "I'd like to know who managed to snatch his attention." Sayuri was another Chemistry major while captain of the tennis club, and had made her interest in Kuroo very clear. That they had slept together once or twice hadn't helped, and he found himself having to avoid her advances.

There was a quick movement to his right and suddenly Kuroo's phone was in Sato's hand. "How about we give this mystery person a call?"

Miyuki was leaning over his shoulder now while Kazu threw himself on top of Kuroo to keep him from reaching over and taking back his phone. It's not like he couldn't take Kazu if he wanted, but he wasn't entirely sober and his hands weren't working as well as he'd like. He still tried, lunging forward with a "Come on guys."

Sato grinned back at him, holding his phone out of reach "Now we definitely have to see, don't we." Kuroo cursed out loud when he remembered he kept his phone unlocked, and they could access everything they wanted.

 "Hmm, what's this? All these calls to a single number, and at all hours of the night, too. 'Tsuki', is it? Such a cute name!" Tuskki's contact name was the kanji for the moon and his contact picture was a photo of the mug Kuroo had given him, blue with dinos lining the bottom. _This is God punishing me for being such a fucking sap._

 He really didn't mind telling everyone he had a boyfriend, and it would actually help deter unwanted advances, but he hadn't talked to Tsukki about telling others besides their close friends yet. Not that he thought Tsukki would mind, seeing as he made his I'm-trying-not-to-smile face every time Kuroo referred to him as his boyfriend out loud. Also, the blond was probably sleeping and Kuroo wasn't really ready to share the cuteness of a sleepy Tuskki with his friends.

He tried with a "Guys, don't," but he knew he had lost.

 The phone was already ringing, the noise filling the room while everyone hushed and leaned in to listen. Four rings went by before the sound stopped.

 "Tetsu?"

_Tetsu. Te-tsu. Tetsu Tetsu Tetsu Tetsu Tetsu Tetsu Tetsu Tetsu Tetsu Tetsu Tetsu Tet–_ his brain kept the sound of his name on his boyfriends voice on loop.

He had never called him that before. It was breathy and soft and everything Kuroo's fantasies were made of. He dreamt of that voice, of it under him, or above him, in his ears and panting and all kinds of things he should not be thinking while all his friends were looking at him with wide eyes. He felt all the blood rush to his cheeks, grateful it had gathered somewhere north of his anatomy. It didn't help that he knew exactly how Tsukki was at the moment, in his bed covered in a mountain of blankets and cuddling a couple of pillows.

Air seemed to have left the room at that. Whatever his friends were expecting an airy 'Tetsu' was not it, specially when it was followed by a, "I thought you were going out with your friends tonight? Is everything okay?"

All stares went to him, silently telling him they were not ready to deal with _this._

_I don't think I am, either._

 He couldn't help how his voice smoothed out and lowered, much like how he couldn't help anything when it came to Tsukki. "Hey. Everything's fine, I just wanted to check in. Were you asleep?"

 There was a huff of breath and an "Almost."

After Kuroo didn't say anything Tsukki chuckled and continued, "If it's that boring, come back. I could use your services as a human furnace, you know. Ah, but you haven't seen them in a while, right? At least try to have fun before you come home. "

 The tension in him had eased the second Tsukki had started talking, and Kazu pushed away from him with wide eyes. Sato was staring at him like he had seen an alien and Miyuki couldn't keep his eyes away from the phone. He didn't look around, but he was sure he would see a combination of those expressions around the room. He knew 'home' meant Tsukki's place, but no one else did. Kuroo felt the grin from earlier come back in full force at all his friend's assumptions.

The Kuroo they knew didn't do soft , or checked in and definitely did not make late night calls that included a 'come home'. _Look at us being domestic as fuck._

"I am having fun, Tsukki. So much," the cheshire grin of his now aimed at his friend holding the phone. He didn't know how, but he was absolutely sure his boyfriend knew what was going on. He knew Kuroo was going to his own place after this since Tsukki had an early morning tomorrow and Kuroo had planned for complete debauchery. He also knew Tsukki wouldn't _request_ him as a human furnace seeing as those services were automatic. This was all for show. He hadn't kept sexual conquests a secret (not that he thought he could anyway), and Tsukki really didn't care about that kind of thing. What Tuskki did mind was people being up in his business, and being woken up (unless you were Kuroo, a fact that made the raven smile like he'd won the lottery when he found out). _He probably saw this coming, didn't he._

"Well, then. It's not polite to be on the phone when you're with people, you animal."

Kuroo laughed at that, loving how snappy Tuskki could get even in a situation like this. He could hear the sleep seeping into his words now and there was no doubt in his mind Tsukki had stayed up for this. "Alright, I'll go. Goodnight Tsukki, I love you. "

There was a small grunt followed by a "Night" before the line cut off. 

When he looked up Sato was looking away and had a faint pink on his cheeks while Miyuki looked very entertained by the bottom of his beer. Sayuri looked peeved and was in a hushed conversation with Mayu, a Physics major and one of her closest friends. Kazu was the only one who seemed to have shaken the initial shock and was now grinning at him.

"So, Tsukki?" Kazu said looking around in amusement.

"Yeah, my boyfriend," Kuroo replied loudly with a laugh sneaking into his tone. _In case that wasn't clear enough._

Kazu leaned in again and spoke in a hush, only for Kuroo to hear. "Please bring him around next time. Preferably when there's a big crowd and everyone knows you. Make sure I'm there. I just need to see that happen, please."

Kuroo just laughed and reached for his beer, responding with "I'll think about it."

It didn't take long for them to call it a night after that. He wore a grin all the way to Tsukki's apartment. Tsukki had, after all, requested his services. And if when he got there Tsukki opened the door with a speed that meant he was somewhere nearby and wearing a sneaky grin reserved solely for Kuroo, he wasn't one to mention that kind of thing. 


	2. Three plus three

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm just going to leave this here. I don't know.

Kuroo hadn't lied when he said he was popular. He didn't really know how popular, before, since they went to different buildings even when attending the same university. He had been told by others, including Kuroo himself, but he didn't realise the extent of his boyfriend's popularity until his own building went over renovations and all his classes were relocated to Kuroo's temporarily. He could see why, physically. Kuroo was tall, handsome and could charm the best of them.

He'd been hot even back in high school, when Tsukki's first thought when seeing him play was ' _Well, I'm very gay_ '. Not that he didn't know before, but those small red shorts gave him a very nice reminder. So, out of everyone, he got it, but he couldn't really understand it because Kuroo was such a nerd. And a dork.  _My boyfriend is a loser and no one knows but me._

He sighed and looked down at his phone, checking the time. The screen displayed a white 8:05 PM and Kuroo was officially five minutes late. Sat on a wrought iron chair in the outside seating of the campus café, he took another sip of his half empty french vanilla latte and looked at the people passing by, most of them wearing the tired but happy face of those just leaving evening classes. He eyed the cup next to his, facing the empty chair tucked in underneath the small round table. It was black coffee with hazelnut and two sugars and if Kuroo didn't hurry it was going to be lukewarm and disgusting by the time he got there. Kei closed his eyes and focused on the music playing through his headphones, some sort of chilllstep playlist he had started back when was in class and needed to focus. They were hanging out with Kuroo's friends tonight, something about people wanting to meet him since the 'phone call from last time'.

Tsukki held back a sneer. He remembered that, thinking it would have given him a little more time before he had to introduce himself personally, but all it had done was rile up the masses. That was the thing about not only being in love with but officially dating someone fairly well-known on campus. Specially if that somebody had Kuroo's reputation; people kept wanting to meet him. It was annoying but Kuroo had asked him to meet these people for the first time, and Kuroo never really asked him for anything like this. _This are people that he likes, they can't be that bad._

But things weren't that simple. Kuroo thought the best of people, and expected this to go smoothly. Kei knew better. Things usually didn't go as smoothly as his relationship with the raven's other group of friends. For starters, they knew each other from volleyball, and were sort of friends already. Assimilating into their shared lives wasn't hard because he was already kind of doing that, regardless of his relationship with Kuroo.  He was nervous about all of this, he could admit. This side of his previous relationships had not been... ideal, to say the least. _Just the cause of most of my anxiety and self-doubt, no biggie._

Tsukki tried letting the music flow over him, and regulating his breathing. He could do this. He wasn't a teenager anymore, and along with his height he'd grown a thick shell and a sharp tongue. Plus, Kuroo would be there. That thought opened up another can of worms and he quickly stopped that train of thought before it could spiral out of control. He felt more than saw the duffel bag being set down on the table, and when he looked over he saw a tan hand reach over and wrap itself around the cup furthest from him. Kuroo took a couple of long sips before turning to look at him properly.

"Glad to know I come second to coffee", Kei deadpanned.

"Well, you're both bitter and scalding, but at least I get to put sugar on this." His words lost meaning when he said them in that sweet tone, and at the hand that reached out to lace their fingers together before he squeezed them in greeting.

"Actually, _I_ put sugar on that. Did practice run late?" Tsukki got up, putting his phone back in his pocket.

Kuroo had just left practice, hair still damp from the shower, and was carrying his gym bag with him. He'd also had class earlier in the day, so his books were also in there, a habit that made Tsukki scrunch his nose every time he thought about it. When the raven had told him they were going to go straight from college, Kei had reminded him that he had practice and that he'd be taking his sweaty clothes with him.

_"We've established that you were raised in a barn, but think of the people having to deal with your stink."_

So, it was gross, but Kuroo insisted it was fine, since it was just a casual outing after everyone had class. A friend of his had asked him to borrow a textbook or two and he had to bring them along, anyway. For just having spent the last couple of hours in a gym Kuroo looked, and smelled, very nice.  He was wearing dark wash jeans paired with black boots, a red plaid shirt rolled up to his elbows and a light black jacket hanging from the strap of his bag. For some reason most of Kuroo's wardrobe was black, not that Kei was complaining. He always looked good and it was a nice contrast to when they were alone and Kuroo mostly wore pink cat pijamas, most of them being part of a set with his sister, Yuuko, and Kenma. 

His hair wasn't dry enough for his usual bedhead to make an appearance, and the slightly slicked back look made it easier to appreciate the piercings gracing his ears. He had both lobes, a helix on his right, and his most recent one was an industrial one on his left that made Kei find it hard to not stare at it every time he looked over at his boyfriend. Kuroo had been talking about getting one on his tongue and all Kei could think of was _Yes, please._ He didn't know piercings were a thing for him until he and Kuroo met again, but the more you know. 

Kei was dressed comfortably , with a pair of light wash jeans, chucks and a cream sweater. He had a maroon jacket, just in case it got colder later. 

"Yeah, the coach kept going on and on about how we should get new recruits", Kuroo answered. He let go of Tsukki's hand and moved over to sling the strap of his bag over his shoulder, "You still thinking of applying on the next tryouts?"

"Yeah, I think I have a handle on things by now." Kei had put volleyball on hold while he got used to the whole living by himself and dealing with classes thing, but was itching to get back to it. Furthermore,  Kuroo was a regular and not only could they share the same side of the court for the first time, he might see a repeat of those red shorts sometime soon. 

They left campus and started to walk trough a park nearby, Kei being led by Kuroo. "So, where are we meeting them?", he asked. 

Entering a path lined with tall shrubs, they slowed down, enjoying the breeze. The path was deserted and they huddled closer, shoulders bumping every now and then.  "The same place I went to last time, that small bar by the station. I got a text from Kazu earlier and he's also just getting out of class, so I thought we'd meet with him first and then head there together?"

Kei felt the nervousness from before come back. He'd heard a lot about this Kazu guy and it seemed like out of the group they were meeting today, he was the one closest to Kuroo. It would be nice to meet him separately, though, and the fact that it was just one person made him relax a bit. "Sounds good." 

"Cool." Kuroo's arm shot out in front of him to make him stop and Tuskki turned to look at him with an arched brow. The raven smiled then and said, "Hey, I missed you."

Kei felt his other brow come up at that. "Kuroo. We literally saw each other two days ago, " he said, because being a little shit was second nature to him. 

Kuroo turned and was facing him now. He had that devious grin on his face as he looked around. "I still missed you, " he said as he came closer, Kuroo's scent surrounding him, and took his hand again.

Kei held back a smile,  "We talked for two and a half hours on the phone last night."

Placing a kiss on his palm before releasing it, Kuroo whispered, "Missed you,"

"Kuroo."

He was crowding Kei now, one hand on his hips and the other on his chin, keeping his face still while he leaned down to place chaste kisses against his lips, his jaw, his cheeks. When he was done, he leaned back just enough to be able to look at him. "Still. I missed you." 

Kei sighed, leaning back into him. "Yeah, me too."

 

* * *

 

 After an impromptu makeout in the park, they reached the Engineering building where Kazu was waiting for them. Introductions had been quick, and they were on their way. 

> _"It's nice to meet you, Kazu-san."_
> 
> _Kazu looked at him with a constipated look, "Please just call me Kazu, and I'll just call you Tsukishima. Honorifics give me the heebie jeebies. That ok?"_
> 
> _Tsukki shrugged, feeling more at ease. "Sure."_

The three of them got there and found the rest of the party already there, drinks in hand and half empty. These people were strangers and were looking at him like he was a science experiment. Tsukki held back a sigh. _This is going to be a long night._

Kuroo took over after setting his duffel against the back wall where all the other bags were. He wasn't kidding when he said a lot of them also coming straight from class, there were backpacks for almost every single person in the room. Kazu put all of their jackets in a hanger by the door and Kuroo came over to introduce him with a, "Hey guys! This is Tsukishima."

He was glad he hadn't introduced him as 'Tsukki'- not sure what his reaction would be to one of them trying to call him by his childhood nickname. Kei might have been apprehensive, but he still had manners, so he did a small bow and followed with a "Nice to meet you."   
They all introduced themselves to him, but he'd be lying if he said he remembered most of them. If anything, he'd discreetly ask Kuroo whenever a name was necessary. He sat next to Kuroo, Kazu on his other side and a beer was placed in front of him. Things were a bit stiff, but he had expected that. What he didn't expect where these odd glances that people kept throwing his way, and the strange look in their eyes. He thought he was imagining it, so he shook it off, took a sip of beer and tried to relax. There was some music going and some people got up to dance. All in all it was pretty normal. _See, I didn't have anything to worry about._

He was about three drinks in when it happened.  

Kuroo had gotten up to get more drinks after everyone kept hounding him, coming back with a full tray. Kei had loosened up considerably and was talking to Kazu about which Jurassic Park movie was the best and why. From across the room he heard Kuroo call him and say, "Hey, could you get one of the books I brought and hand it to this guy?"–he pointed at Bowlcut, whose name escaped him, with his chin–"My hands are kind of full right now." 

He didn't respond, but he got up and walked over the where the bags were, Bowlcut trailing behind him. 

"Which one did you need?", Tsukki said, bending down to open the zipper. 

"The one with the red spine", Bowlcut answered, and stayed behind him.  

Opening the bag, he met Kuroo's familiar mess. _I'm dating a beast._

He plunged his hand in, feeling around for something solid. He stiffened a bit as his hand hit something soft and textured, a feeling he was very familiar with. Staring into the bag he saw a peek of teal that had no place in Kuroo's gym clothes, and quickly pulled on it to reveal a pair of lace boyshorts that most certainly did not belong to Kuroo. From the corner of his eye, he saw a couple of the guys who were staring at him squirm and try to act casual, and finally the strange looks he'd been getting all night fell into place. _So this is how things are._

Kei couldn't believe this, and if he were a bit less stunned he might laugh at how ridiculous the situation was. It just couldn't be, there was no way Kuroo's friends planted a pair of panties on the same day they were meeting his first legit boyfriend for the first time. Were they trying to cause shit, or did they think it was a funny joke? Did they expect him to think Kuroo was cheating? Kuroo, who sometimes called at two in the morning because he had a dream with Kei and wanted to hear his voice, who would get up at four when he had an early class just so that he could spend the night at Kei's cuddling? It would make more sense that Kuroo's wore these, if not for the color and the size.  Well, If they wanted a little scene, Kei was going to give it to them, but not the kind that they had planned. 

"Tetsu?" With the most neutral tone he had, he held up the panties and said, "Is this one of mine?" He put a confused expression on his face, as if he really needed confirmation of his own wardrobe. 

His boyfriend turned to look at him and took a second before his eyes landed on the garment in his hands. And Kuroo, being the perfect dork that he was, didn't miss a beat and replied, "Aren't all of yours black?"

They were, and he was surprised by Kuroo's guess, seeing as he wasn't privy to that. Not yet, at least. He held out long enough to make sure everyone's attention was on him. Not that he expected otherwise, knowing the group had to be in on this. 

"Hmm, not all of them. Must have slipped in by accident", he said with a smile. 

Kuroo was looking at him intently now, and he had caught on as fast as Kei had. He might have seemed calm to others but Tsukki could see the tension building in his shoulders, the minute flex of his jaw where he was clenching his teeth, and the absolute rage that was building in his eyes.

_Here we go._

He had told Tsukki all about his past, how he had been with what some might consider a large amount of people, and how he really hadn't felt anything other than attraction for any of them. How he'd begun to think maybe he was broken, and how much he didn't want to hurt anyone he was with. How yeah, he had been loose, but he had never cheated and ' _I never will Tsukki, I swear_ '. How important it was for him that Kei trust him, and how happy and relieved he looked when Kei told him how much he didn't care about any of that. How angry he got when Kei told him about his past relationships, how he promised to never do anything similar.

How he had kept that promise. How even now, after almost four months of dating, they were taking the physical side of their relationship slow.

_"This whole loving someone and being in a serious relationship is all new to me, and I don't know, I just want to learn how to navigate this before we add any of that."_

Tsukki didn't mind at all. He wasn't in it for the sex, and when it did happen he wanted both of them to be comfortable. He felt anger settle on his stomach like lead. _I don't care if it was a joke, I don't like these people._

All Kuroo had asked of him was a night with his friends so he could "show Tsukki off to everyone", so he would give him that. He stuffed the lace back into the duffel bag and grabbed the textbook he had asked for, handing it to Bowlcut, who didn't make eye contact. After, he walked over to Kuroo, whose hands were free now, and laced their fingers together. He felt the edge and tightness ease out of Kuroo's jaw, his muscles relaxing. The anger wasn't all gone but there wasn't going to be a fight anytime soon, at least. Kuroo was looking at him with confusion. Kei was still iffy about PDA, and Kuroo made sure to keep it to a minimum until they were alone, or with people he trusted. He didn't know who had pulled the earlier stunt, but if the point was to make them uncomfortable for their amusement he was going to be anything but accommodating. The only thing it had done was to make him dislike everyone in the room, Kazu being an exception.

 After that, things had an awkward start to them and it just got worse as time went on. He was sitting by a corner table with Mayu and Kazu while Kuroo was having a conversation somewhere else, most of the room stealing glances at him every couple of minutes. Kuroo had been reluctant to leave him alone, but he knew Kei could handle himself and slowly relaxed. Kei hadn't been outright hostile to the group, but he certainly wasn't making any effort to join their conversation outside their little trio and when they did ask things directed at him, he responded in the coldest and vaguest terms he could muster. 

The one he thought was named Miyuki came over to his table and started with a, "Hey Tsukishima."

Before he could continue Tsukki said, "I'm sorry, are we friends?"

The guy looked at him in confusion, "No? I mean I'm Kuroo's-"

"Then there should be -san in there somewhere." Tsukki interrupted him, not even looking over at the man.

Next to him Mayu blushed and looked away, trying to cover her smile with hand and almost succeeding. Kazu, however, didn't manage to be discreet about his laugh, almost choking on the beer he had been drinking. He was not going to be nice. If there was anything Tsukki excelled at, being contrary was it. After an hour of polite conversation, he excused himself and headed to the restroom. When he got there, he splashed some cold water on his face, keeping his glasses between his fingers. He wasn't having the best night ever, but seeing people squirm while trying to maintain eye contact with him was amusing. Plus, his two companions for the evening had been nice to talk to.

Mayu actually had approached him first, talking about the incident sporting one of the deepest blushes he'd seen. She kept her voice low as to not let the others know it was very obvious Kei knew exactly what had happened and apologized about "All her friends being fucking children" and "Who even thinks of shit like that". After a drink or two, he decided she was pretty fun and one of the only people in the room he'd be willing to tolerate. Kazu was decent, and the crush he had on Mayu was very obvious which made a conversation with both of them entertaining. He wouldn't mind a night out with the two of them some other time.

He dried his face with his handkerchief, put his glasses back on, and fiddled with his hair a bit before stepping out and down the hallway to the room where they were drinking for the night. When he was by the door, voices floated out to meet him from the small gap he had left when he got up.

"What the hell?" It was Kuroo's voice, his voice coming out with a lot more force than earlier. 

"Well, it's not like he'd care anyway! You saw how he reacted to the other one."

"I honestly thought he'd flip but looks like he's not the type."

"Yeah, Kuroo, Tsukishima-san seems very... _rigid_ but apparently your reputation precedes you, he didn't even bat an eye."

They all laughed at that. Kei stopped at the sound of his name, his tight hand on the door frame. They were talking about him, with Kuroo, and laughing. Laughing at him, the fuckers. And for a second he thought maybe, just maybe, Kuroo would agree and he'd laugh with them. Why wouldn't he, those are his friends and he likes them and-

_Stop. He wouldn't do that, he loves you. He promised._

Kei took a deep breath and tried to calm himself, leaning further into the frame and taking a peek inside. He knew that, but he couldn't control those kinds of thoughts. All he could do was remind himself that it wasn't true, that that wouldn't happen again. Thoughts were rushing through his head when Kuroo's voice cut through them, voice sharp and controlled.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

A female voice laughed. He wasn't sure, but he thought it belonged to the girl that had a short bob and bangs. "You know. He's all like _that_."

"No, I don't know. Why don't you enlighten me, Misaki." Kuroo was using his calm angry voice and the anxiousness inside him dissipated. He had only heard that once before when some asshole decided to harass Yuuko when they went out shopping together. Okay, so maybe there would be a fight, after all.

It was a guy that continued, still using a mocking voice. "He's so fucking uptight! And rude too, I know he's got to be a great fuck if you're willing to put up with that kind of shit but-"

A loud crash and the sound of flesh hitting flesh filled his ears.

_Yup. There it is._

"Finish that thought. Go ahead, I'm listening." Kuroo was so easygoing, so relaxed, that people had a tendency to forget. They forgot that he was an athlete, that he sparred with Bokuto constantly, that he was solid, and that going against his fist was like getting hit by a sac of bricks. Kuroo said something low, and he couldn't make out most if it but it sounded a lot like "I'm listening, asshole."

He was standing above Miyuki, who was clutching his nose with bloody fingers. The rest of the group seemed to be looking at them, horror on their faces. 

"Does anyone have anything else to say about my boyfriend?", he said in his terrifying captain voice, a gift from his year herding the Nekoma team. 

He turned around, looking around the room, his back to where Tsukki had been sitting before, keeping Kazu and Mayu from the conversation. "Yeah, didn't fucking think so."

Kei had calmed down, and entered the room loudly, breaking whatever tension was building again.

Kuroo turned to face him, duffel already in his hand. "I'll meet you outside", his face was hard as stone and he spoke in a clipped voice before he exited the room, shutting the door gently.

Tsukki sighed, grabbing both his and Kuroo's jacket from where they were hung. His gaze landed on the teal lace next to a couple of Chemistry textbooks lying on one of the tables, noticing there was a pair of knee high socks there too, and a picture of what had happened started to form in his head. As he turned to leave, a high pitched voice stopped him, saying, "Couldn't you have been a little nicer?"

It was Sayuri, standing next to the guy with the bloody nose. He had planned on leaving quietly but all the anger from before rose up to his throat. He let all the disdain he felt show in his gaze as he straightened to his full height, trying to be as intimidating as possible. People had a tendency to forget that he too, was an athlete, and so very unwilling to deal with things like this anymore. "I don't give a shit about any of you, I was only here for Kuroo."

It looked like Sayuri was going to keep going, so Tsukki just said "I don't think you understand how this worked. This wasn't about you liking me, it was about me liking you. And you expected me to go out of my way to be _nicer_? To people who pull this kind of shit? To see what would happen? _Pathetic_."

Tsukki didn't wait to see her reaction. He looked over to where Kazu and Mayu were sitting and said, "Kazu, Mayu-san, It was nice talking to you both, let's do it again sometime", and turned on his heel. When he got outside, Kuroo was leaning on the side of the building, looking down at his bruised hand. He straightened when he heard Tsukki approach and started to walk without saying anything, at first.

After a couple of blocks, he started. "I'm not ashamed of it", he had calmed down, and his voice was back to it's normal pitch.

Tsukki knew what he was talking about without him having to mention it, so he said, "I know."

It was getting chilly, and Kuroo still didn't have his jacket on, but Tsukki didn't want to interrupt whatever this was leading to. He had put his on before leaving the venue, and he held Kuroo's in his arm, ready for whenever he raven finally felt the cold. They still had quite a bit until they reached Tsukki's apartment, seeing as Kuroo had walked past the station, but the streets were empty and even with the slight chill it was a nice night.

"And you don't care. It doesn't bother you", he continued as they walked down a small bridge.

It wasn't a question but he answered it anyway, "It doesn't, not even a little bit."

"And that's enough for me. I just...", Kuroo stopped then, looking ahead. "I just hate that they keep bringing it up. Before was fine, but now it just feels disrespectful. Like it's fine to not have boundaries when I'm in a relationship, and you're right there!", he flailed his arm for emphasis and huffed at nothing."You're amazing and I just wanted to show them that because I was so whatever before, and I'm happy now. They don't have to get it, but they have to respect it. So the panties thing was shitty, but of course you're you and you handled that. It still made me angry."

"I could tell. I won't say I'm sorry for how I behaved for that or for not liking them. Well, most of them, Kazu and Mayu-san were nice", Kei said. 

Kuroo smiled at that. "Okay, so the lingerie thing was shit, and they pissed you off, but they had that coming. How you treated them was justified. But what they said was just crossing the fucking line. They can't just say that kind of shit about you, and with me right there! They can't fucking expect-"

"Kuroo." It made him happy that Kuroo was angry. That he had stood up for him, even if it mean he had bruised knuckles. Maybe it made him selfish, or a bad person, but he didn't really care. Kuroo knew how much it meant to him, how much he needed that.

"I won't let anyone talk about you like that. Ever. Not while I'm there, Kei."

He felt fluttering in his stomach and a tingle on his skin, and wether it was what Kuroo said, or the use of his name, he wasn't sure. He bumped shoulders with Kuroo, making him sway a little, and reached out to catch his good hand and weave it together with his own. "I won't play nice with anyone that pulls shit like that, either."

Kuroo laughed at that, and it was like music to his ears. "We're going to have like zero friends in no time."

"Not really. We still have your three, plus my three", Tuskki said without thinking. 

Kuroo's eyes went wide at that, a mischievous smile pulling on his lips. "Did you just- you're counting the shrimp and the-"

Tsukki stopped, pulling on Kuroo from where their hands laced together.

"Don't. Don't ruin it. This was such a nice moment. We don't have a lot of those," his tone was pleading and he had an exasperated look on his face.

"I'm going to call them and tell them what you said," Kuroo belted out in a singsong voice, "let them know you miss them, and that you want them back."

Tsukki let go of his hand and shoved the jacket he was holding into his boyfriend's face, "I'm breaking up with you."

Kuroo did his hyena laugh at that, and shrugged the jacket on. They kept walking in silence, huddling together to protect from the chill; a block away from his apartment, he reached out and stopped Kuroo. When Kuroo's eyes met his he said, "Thanks, Tetsu."

And because Kuroo was the perfect dork that he is, and because it was them and because he knew what Tsukki was talking about without him having to mention it, Kuroo just gave him a crooked smile and said, "Anytime". 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As usual, please come yell at me at [ivyfics](https://twitter.com/ivyfics) and let me know what you think.


	3. Crow

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The dorks ft. some Kageyama

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello! As you can tell, I turned this into three chapters as well. It's not the end for this pair of dorks, but the rating for the next couple of chapters will be explicit so I'm separating it in case anyone is uncomfortable with that. Let me know what you think!

It was hot. He could feel the beads of sweat rolling down his back, the burn of his tights making them shake slightly. Kuroo's gaze was just as hot as the ache in his muscles, not letting up for a second. They had been at it for hours now, and he could feel himself reaching his limit. There was a loud _smack!_ , and tension filled his body, from his core all the way to his fingertips.

He came back down and said, "One touch!" His feet landed on the wood floors with a thud, and he could feel his weight on his knees, using his strength to pull himself up. Koichi, the libero, dove under for the ball and sent it sailing over to the setter. Kei had gotten spoiled, playing with Kageyama for over three years, and had to constantly remind himself that that kind of performance was not the norm, that it wasn't that the setter sucked, he just wasn't King.

 Kuroo's gaze never left him, strong even from where he was far away, sitting on the bench. He knew what was looking at over on the court. At Kei's form, his jumps, his blocks. Kuroo's gaze was intense but so was his smirk, pleased with the result. It wasn't the first time he had seen Kei play after the Nekoma captain graduated, but the last time had been in his second year of high school, when they went up against Nekoma at Nationals. He had improved, but they still lost to the cats.

Kei had gotten so much better since then.

Back then, the sight of Kuroo after the game ended had flustered him, and he had to play it off as exertion to his then-boyfriend in the bleachers. Now, having those eyes follow him on the court made him want to show Kuroo exactly how they had beat Fukurodani to take the national championship the year after, with Kei as captain. He knew Kuroo's eyes weren't the only ones on him. Keeping up with Bokuto, even if he couldn't completely shut him down yet (due to his recent extended leave), was nothing to scoff at.

 The setter sent it to Adachi, a wing spiker that reminded him of seijou's ace Kyotani, and Adachi smacked it over the net but it was stopped by the other team's middle blocker, Hirose. The whistle blew after the ball had fallen, Bokuto's team as the victor.

Kei looked across the net to find Bokuto grinning at him. He felt like grinning back, but he kept his face straight.

 Bokuto was loud, as always, when he came over and said, "Tsukki! You've gotten so good!" There was a pat on his back to accompany that statement, and his whole body shook from the strength behind it.

Before he could respond, he felt a hand snake ver his shoulder. "Of course he did, Bo, I'm his mentor! I taught him everything he knows." Kuroo's eyes were sharp and he had his trademark cheshire grin on. Kei had a sudden need to wipe it off his face.

 "Funny, seeing as you never won nationals and I did. Maybe I should teach you, instead?", he added nonchalantly. Bokuto's laugh was deafening when it was so close to his ear but it was worth it. A sneer appeared on his face when he saw Kuroo's hurt face.

Kuroo pulled back his hand and then laid over his chest, clutching at his shirt over his heart. "Tsukki, how cruel!"

They kept their conversation light, teammates joining in while they took a break.

Kuroo was joking around, but the sharpness in his eyes hadn't left. Occasionally he would look beyond their conversation and his eyes would take a slightly hard edge. Chalking it up to his competitive nature, he let it be.

They called for a second practice match, and this time it was him and Kuroo in the same team, along with a couple of others against Bokuto's team. It was his first practice in a long time, deciding to join the team after getting settled in his new city. He had kept watching matches and talking to the volleyball idiot back in Miyagi meanwhile, but it wasn't the same as actual practice. He had missed it. Practice with Kuroo and Bokuto reminded him of third gym, Akaashi, and that awkward first year of high school, all mixed with something new. Mostly, he just wanted to piss Kuroo and Bokuto off because that never got old.

 Playing with Bokuto took care of that, specially if it was beside Kuroo, the both of them working in tandem to make sure Bokuto didn't just run wild. They bumped shoulders as they jumped, Kei mixing the things Kuroo had taught him with all the things he had learned after. It was the most fun he had in a while for sure, if it wasn't for one tiny thing.

There were spectators. That shouldn't be unusual in a university like theirs, that had a big team and more than a couple of fans. So no, it wasn't that he was bothered by spectators, it was what they were leering at, namely his boyfriend. His hot, glistening boyfriend who had an easy smile the whole time he was riling Bokuto up.

 They won, and Kuroo went over to tease Bokuto who was sulking while Tsukki stayed behind to talk to his new teammates. Yamazaki called him over to ask about his toss, and for them to share pointers about the game. He was half listening, his attention divided when he saw a group sitting on the bleacher calling out for Kuroo. Kuroo looked over and waved, reaffirming that this was not unusual. It was meaningless.

For the record, Tsukishima Kei did not get jealous. Not of something like _that_ , at least. It annoyed him, sure. It was irritating to a certain extent but it's not like it mattered. He was not jealous of _fangirls_. That he grit his teeth when he caught them staring was just coincidence. _They could just be appreciating the game._

So what if all he wanted was to walk over to Kuroo and kiss him in front of all of them, in that way he knew Kuroo liked, that made him give out tiny hums of pleasure? Not that he could. Kuroo had gotten his tongue pierced, finally, and it was still healing so kissing had been reserved to pecks only. And it's not like he wanted to make everyone on the team wildly uncomfortable by cranking up the PDA in the middle of practice, either.

Kuroo was just being his usual self, easygoing and carefree. They joked around that he was a human furnace because _how is his body temperature so high_ , and he overheated easily so obviously that meant that his black workout shirt was relegated to bench decoration instead of being, you know, covering his body. His very nice body. His very nice body that the spectators in the gym bleachers were openly ogling. _I am a being of dignity and grace. I am not a possessive asshole._

Except he was learning he kind of was, and not glaring was hard. He reeled it in and focused back on Yamazaki, who apparently hadn't noticed Kei's lack of attention. Kuroo was not responsible for how other's decided to act in front of him, and the best thing to do was just to pretend they didn't exist. Kuroo looked back to over to him a couple of times, but he kept his expression neutral, giving nothing away. He might be annoyed, but that wasn't Kuroo's fault so there was no need to be cross.

They stood there until the whistle blew and the coach was calling them to share pointers and reassemble teams.

Going for jogs to keep your body in shape can only take you so far in an actual match, which is why Kei found himself sitting on the bench draining his water bottle when the third practice match came around. Kuroo was in this time and against Bokuto.That usually riled Kuroo up, but it didn't seem to be working this time. His boyfriend's mood was a bit sour and if the looks of his teammates were correct, he wasn't the only one who noticed. Kei was still getting acclimated to the team, this being his first official practice, so he didn't know if this was commonplace.

It was weird, not knowing a side of Kuroo after spending all their recent time together.

 Kei felt someone sit beside him, but didn't turn. He'd been waiting to see Kuroo's volleyball shorts in action again, and he was not disappointed. Kuroo had begun wearing compression shorts underneath his usual red volleyball ones and the way the moulded to his thighs needed Kei's complete attention.

"You're pretty good."

It was Endo, the first year setter for Bokuto's team from their first practice match. He had dark brown hair that went past his ears, and was a lot shorter than Kei. His skills were average, but he reminded himself that _everyone seems average when compared to King._

 He gave a non-committal hum while keeping his eyes on Kuroo's thighs, "I had a lot of practice."

"It shows, not a lot of people can match up with Bokuto-san. And you and Kuroo-san seem to work well together, " Endo continued.

He knew his side of the conversation was halfhearted, but he didn't really want to waste an opportunity like this. "We've known each other for a while."

"Who? Kuroo-san or Bokuto-san?"

He turned to look back at Endo, trying to not be rude to his new teammate. Maybe if the setter saw how not into this conversation he was, he'd leave him alone. "Both." He was over this, honestly. _I just want to stare at my shirtless boyfriend in peace._

 He turned back to face the court, silently telling Endo to please stop talking to him. Endo of course, did not take the hint. "That's pretty cool. I saw the Karasuno match at Nationals a couple of years ago."

That caught his attention, and he turned his body to look back at Endo. He had gotten better at not pretending he didn't care about his previous team. "Really?"

"Yeah! When you showed up, I totally remembered you from the match. Uhm, I actually..." Endo seemed nervous, but continued anyway, "I wanted to ask you about your setter, Kageyama."

He straightened at that and gave Endo his full attention.Getting more comfortable on the bench, he brought a leg up and folded it underneath him. It had been a while since anyone had approached him about King and he could already imagine the response when he texted him a _I met a fan of yours today._ He could feel his expression dissolve into a lighter one and couldn't keep the amusement of his tone. "Oh?"

A shout from coming from the court interrupted him only to to show him a jumping Bokuto. He had glee on his face, Kuroo's expression being the complete opposite across the net. Bokuto was always loud so his "Maybe you should ask Tsukki to come over, give you a chance to actually block me sometime today" was perfectly clear. Kuroo's eyes narrowed and replied something inaudible back, only making Bokuto laugh harder.

Endo's voice brought him back to his current conversation. His eyes shone and he started babbling, not caring about what was going on on the court. He looked like puppy. "He's so good! And your team worked really well together. It's like every one of his tosses was the best toss ever, and you guys looked like you were all really close. I'd really like to know how he trained or any tips that he had..."

Endo was literally ranting about King to him. This was way to good to pass up and Kei couldn't help but release a long laugh. Eyes turned to him, but he didn't notice, reaching to where he had left his phone on the bench next to his bottle before practice. He saw that King was online and requested a video call, all while Endo looked on with a confused look and a tilted head. _Exactly like a puppy._

Trying to get his laugh under to control, he passed the phone to Endo, who received it hesitantly. Kageyama's face appeared on the screen with his usual frown and Kei said, "King, this kid is a setter. He wants tips. Go." Endo's face was red, and he was looking at Kei with panic in his eyes. Kageyama didn't need any prompting and immediately started talking about–seaweed?, and Kei just lost it. He couldn't do anything but laugh while Kageyama yammered to an Endo who looked like he had transcended the mortal realm. He calmed and slowed his breathing to look back onto the court, only to find that they were staring at the benches. It's like Kei looking over had woken them from whatever was going on, and they continued.

Practice kept going, Kuroo's team eventually losing to Bokuto's much to the raven's chagrin and he seemed to sour at that. The third match was the last of the day, and Kei got his phone back from Endo at the end of it, the setter still wearing that blank look on his face and thanking Kei in a monotone voice.

When they were stretching, Kuroo's mood was still weird. He noticed almost immediately that the raven was acting oddly so he paired up with to lighten things up. They went through their stretches in silence, working the stiffness out of their muscles. When they were done, they stood up and were side by side. Kei was tired and sweaty, and going over to the bench to get a towel was akin to walking the fiery pits of hell, so he just pulled on the bottom of his shirt and brought it up to wipe his forehead. He closed his eyes for a second, waiting for his face to cool down. When he opened them he was greeted by Kuroo's features pinched into a frown.

His mouth was dry so instead of voicing out a question he just arched an eyebrow in inquiry.

Kuroo hesitated before speaking in a gruff voice, "I can see you tattoo."

Black wings entered his field of vision as he stared down at his own hip. It's not like Kuroo hadn't seen it before. In fact, he had started to unconsciously trace over it when they were together, even when Kei was fully covered. The crow in flight was on his lower right hip, wings spread and detailed. He had half-choked when he explained to Kuroo that it was a group thing. With his friends. His volleyball friends. Kuroo's reaction at the fact that he shared a tattoo with Hinata was priceless, and he would't let up no matter how much he explained that _it's not like it's in the same place, or the same design, they're all different and it was Yamaguchi's idea in the first place and–_

He had to bite back a chuckle when he realised why that would annoy his boyfriend. He loved Tsukki's tattoo. _Kuroo's not the only one getting some looks, I guess._

Kei wasn't oblivious. He'd been told he was attractive, and aside from when his anxiety was acting up, he knew it was true. Plus the whole thing with Bokuto was guaranteed to get some stares. Is that why Kuroo was almost being a dick to some guys on his team? People could look all they wanted; they didn't have a shot, anyway. Kuroo continued, not looking at him, "And you were, uhm, laughing earlier when you were talking with Yamazaki." His voice kept getting smaller and smaller. "And people kept asking me and Bo about you, and staring at your legs..."

Kuroo looked half embarrassed and his eyes were buried on the floor, hand twitching beside his, as if he wanted to reach over run his hands over the wings of his crow or lace their fingers together. Then, he remembered. Kuroo didn't have any experience with this kind of possessiveness. _We are both idiots this time._

Without a second thought he slowly pressed his lips against Kuroo's temple while his hands settled on his shoulder, giving it a squeeze and feeling the muscles beneath it jump at the contact. Kuroo's frown turned into a look of shock and he looked over at Kei. He was stunned for a moment before he continued.

 "Tsuuuukki!", he whined while his face went beet red. His hands came up to try and hide his flush and his voice came out muffled. "You can't do cute things when I can't kiss you!"

Kuroo didn't get flustered often, something that drove him crazy every now and then seeing as he managed to get under Kei's skin all the time. He knew how to take an opening when he saw one. Kei reached up to pull Kuroo's hands away from his face and with a "Who said you can't?", leaned in and gave a peck to Kuroo's lips. He kept it chaste and quick, they way you do when whomever you're kissing still has an open wound on their tongue. "See."

He didn't know what was better, the look on the people that had been leering at his boyfriend all practice, or Kuroo's. His blush had deepened in a way that no amount of exercise could explain and was staring at him with a puffer fish look, eyes all wide and lips puckered in surprise. You don't usually get the upper hand when dealing with Kuroo and he felt a rush of satisfaction at winning, for once. Honestly, Kuroo had never looked this adorable and suppressing the urge to smirk was taking a toll. So, he picked up his water bottle from the bench, put on his most unaffected face and stared at Kuroo while saying "I'm going to go change and then you can take me home."

With a final look, he turned, thoroughly enjoying the tiny groan he could hear from where Kuroo was. Yeah, Tsukishima Kei got a little possessive, but apparently so did his boyfriend so that was fine.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I feel like Kuroo could deal with all the sexy stuff without batting and eye, but would die at cute interactions. 
> 
> That's it for this part folks. I don't know when the next part will be up, but I have until chapter 5 planned out for KuroTsukki, plus all the BokuAka side story ft. artist!Akaashi. 
> 
> There is a lot to come, seeing as I can't control myself with this au. Thank you all for your lovely comment and kudos; you fulfil all my validation needs <3 
> 
> In other news, I've been toying with the idea of a beta so if anyone is interested please let me know! 
> 
> Come yell at me at on twitter[ ivyfics](https://twitter.com/ivyfics) or on my [Tumblr](https://ivyfics.tumblr.com/), and I'll see you soon (・ω ・✿)


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